They say that nothing in life is free, but those people have never met the Dollar Dad. Thanks to the internet, there are a ton of places where you can find 100% free stuff; sometimes you can even find full sized products. I have said in the past that I add a significant amount to my income every year by not spending money on everyday essentials. I have gone 9+ months without spending money on items like razors and deodorant because I get them for free. The following are 5 ways to get products completely free.

Free Stuff Websites

When I first started my Dollar Dad journey I had no idea what I was doing. One day I came across Craigslist's free section and thought to myself, "I wonder if there is a free section on the internet?" Turns out that there totally is and these websites do all of the grunt work for you. My favorite is Free Stuff Times and I will sometimes visit My Free Product Samples, there are a lot of them out there but I have found these two to be the most organized and reliable.

I just received some free laundry detergent in the mail yesterday. It is probably enough for two loads which isn't much, but when you get multiple free samples throughout the year it starts to add up.

Product Sample Box Sites

These work a little differently than the regular free stuff websites. On free stuff websites they scour the internet looking for any and every company that is giving away free samples. Product sample box sites work directly with companies who are looking to promote their products. My two favorites are Pinch Me which gives out a box full of free samples every month andSampleSource whose free sample box ship about quarterly.

Survey Sites

I am not talking about your average run of the mil survey sites; these are a little harder to break into. One site that you can look into is Clear Voice Surveys which is more of your standard survey site, but they occasionally they have opportunities for paid product testing. The best one that I have found so far is Pine Cone Research, but there is a catch. Pine Cone pays well and offers plenty of product testing opportunities but it is an exclusive club. They only open up a few times a year so it's not something that you can just sign up for. If you ever have the chance I would highly suggest applying as I have gotten free cologne, food, beverages, and more for testing.

Search for Product Reviewing Gigs

These are hard to come by and you pretty much have to be a writer and internet junkie such as myself to find them. If you are lucky enough to find a gig like this cherish it. I have had the opportunity to do product reviews on many products and it is a good gig to have. Not only do you get free full sized products to try from something as simple as shampoo to some pretty expensive electronics, but many times you get paid on top of it. A great site to break into product testing like this is Influentster.

Double Up Coupons and Apps

This one is a little more labor-intensive, but it allows you to get free stuff right from the store shelf. Companies advertise their products over multiple mediums and sometimes they cross paths to offer deep discounts and sometimes even free products. Apps like Ibotta or Savings Star offer cash back for hundreds of products every week and, when combined with a coupon, you can get that product for free. In a few unique cases, you may even be able to use a coupon by itself to pick up a free product from the store shelves. Keep your eye out for these deals and remember to check the free stuff sites at the beginning of this blog which sometimes highlights these deals.

Don't let the nay-sayers tell you that it can't be done. There are plenty of free products out there just waiting for you and I know it because I get them myself. If you want to make trips to the mailbox a joy and save hundreds a year make sure that you use these tips to amass your collection of free stuff.